Pronunciation Guide: ap-ek-dekh’-om-ahee

Basic Definition

Strong’s G553: ἀπεκδέχομαι (apekdechomai) describes an intense, focused waiting with eager anticipation and complete confidence in a future outcome. This compound verb combines the prepositions ἀπό (away from) and ἐκ (out from) with the verb δέχομαι (to receive), creating a vivid picture of someone totally absorbed in expectation, looking away from all else to focus entirely on the awaited person or event.

Etymology and Morphology

• Compound verb formed from ἀπό (apo) + ἐκ (ek) + δέχομαι (dechomai)
• Primary usage in epistolary literature and teaching passages
• Middle/passive deponent verb
• Found exclusively in the New Testament
• Associated with eschatological contexts

ἀπεκδέχομαι Morphology:

• ἀπεκδέχομαι (present middle/passive indicative) – I eagerly await
• ἀπεκδεχόμεθα (present middle/passive indicative plural) – we eagerly await
• ἀπεκδέχεται (present middle/passive indicative 3rd person singular) – he/she/it eagerly awaits
• ἀπεκδεχόμενοι (present middle/passive participle nominative plural masculine) – eagerly awaiting

Origin & History

The term ἀπεκδέχομαι appears to be a distinctly Christian compound, not found in classical Greek literature before the New Testament era. This suggests it was deliberately formed to express the unique Christian experience of waiting for the Messiah’s return and the fulfillment of God’s promises. The base verb δέχομαι has a rich history in classical Greek, used by Herodotus in his “Histories” to describe receiving guests or accepting gifts.

The double prepositional prefix (ἀπό + ἐκ) intensifies the meaning, creating a word that captures the concentrated expectation characteristic of early Christian hope. While the simple verb δέχομαι appears frequently in the Septuagint, this compound form is unique to the New Testament, suggesting its special theological significance in expressing Christian anticipation.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• Intense waiting with confident expectation
• Eager anticipation while turning away from distractions
• Patient endurance with focused hope
• Earnest looking forward to a promised outcome

ἀπεκδέχομαι Translation Options:

• “Eagerly await” – Captures both the intensity and the patience involved
• “Wait expectantly” – Emphasizes the confident hope aspect
• “Look forward with earnest expectation” – Highlights the focused attention
• “Await eagerly and patiently” – Combines both the intensity and duration aspects
• “Watch expectantly” – Emphasizes the visual aspect of looking away from all else

Biblical Usage

ἀπεκδέχομαι appears seven times in the New Testament, primarily in Pauline literature. Its first appearance in Romans 8:19 sets the tone for its theological significance, describing creation’s eager longing for the revelation of God’s children. The word consistently appears in contexts relating to future hope and redemption.

The concentrated meaning of this verb perfectly expresses the Christian attitude toward future glory and redemption. It describes not just passive waiting, but active, focused anticipation that influences present behavior and attitude.

• “For the anxious longing of the creation eagerly awaits [ἀπεκδέχεται] the revealing of the sons of God.” Romans 8:19
• “We ourselves eagerly wait [ἀπεκδεχόμενοι] for our adoption as sons.” Romans 8:23
• “Through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait [ἀπεκδεχόμεθα] for the hope of righteousness.” Galatians 5:5
• “We eagerly await [ἀπεκδεχόμεθα] a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus the Messiah.” Philippians 3:20
• “To those who eagerly await [ἀπεκδεχομένοις] Him for salvation.” Hebrews 9:28

Cultural Insights

In the ancient Mediterranean world, the act of waiting for an important person’s arrival often involved posting watchmen who would focus solely on scanning the horizon for signs of the anticipated guest. This cultural practice illuminates the meaning of ἀπεκδέχομαι, as it pictures a watchman who has turned away from all other duties to focus entirely on watching for one specific arrival.

The Jewish concept of צָפָה (tsaphah) – to watch or look out as a watchman – provides important background for understanding ἀπεκδέχομαι. This connects to the prophetic tradition of watching and waiting for יהוה (Yahweh)’s salvation, as seen in Habakkuk’s watching on the ramparts (Habakkuk 2:1).

Theological Significance

ἀπεκδέχομαι reveals a profound theological truth about the nature of Christian hope. It’s not mere passive waiting but an active, transformative anticipation that shapes present reality. This eager expectation is presented as a characteristic of both creation and the believer, suggesting a cosmic scope to redemptive hope.

The word appears prominently in contexts dealing with eschatological hope, particularly in Romans 8 where it describes a three-fold waiting: creation waits, believers wait, and the Spirit assists in this waiting. This reveals the communal and cosmic nature of redemptive hope, showing how all creation is united in anticipating final redemption.

The use of ἀπεκδέχομαι in relation to both present salvation and future glory demonstrates the “already but not yet” tension in New Testament theology. It expresses confident hope while acknowledging present incompleteness.

Personal Application

Understanding ἀπεκδέχομαι challenges believers to examine the quality of their waiting on God. Are we merely passing time, or are we actively, eagerly anticipating His promises? This word calls us to a watching that transforms our present reality – turning away from lesser things to focus on eternal hope.

This eager expectation should characterize our daily walk with God, influencing how we view circumstances, make decisions, and invest our time. Just as creation groans in eager anticipation, our lives should demonstrate this same focused longing for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

Related Words

• προσδέχομαι (prosdechomai) – to expect or wait for – Similar in waiting aspect but lacks the intensity of turning away from other things. See G4327
• ἐκδέχομαι (ekdechomai) – to await, expect – Base form without the additional ἀπό prefix, expressing simpler expectation. See G1551
• καραδοκέω (karadokeo) – to watch with outstretched head – Another word for eager expectation but with emphasis on physical watching. See G2648
• ἐλπίζω (elpizo) – to hope, expect – Focuses more on the hope aspect rather than the waiting. See G1679

Did you Know?

• ἀπεκδέχομαι is one of the few triple compound verbs in the New Testament, combining two prepositions with a main verb to create a particularly vivid and specific meaning.
• The word’s usage in Romans 8 creates a unique parallel between creation’s longing and human longing, suggesting that even non-sentient creation has a kind of consciousness of its need for redemption.
• Modern Greek has maintained this word in theological contexts, particularly in Orthodox liturgy, where it maintains its meaning of eager, focused expectation of divine intervention.

Remember This

ἀπεκδέχομαι embodies the transformative power of Christian hope – not passive waiting, but active, focused anticipation that turns away from all else to fix its gaze on the promised redemption in the Messiah.